So, the new Ghostbusters’ trailer: Ghostbusters Frozen Empire (2024) dropped last week and it has a lot of people excited. Let’s take a look at what is in it.

It opens on some summer scenes in New York City first seeing Lady Liberty which has been returned to her pedistol from Ghostbusters 2, and ending up on the beach while heat wave warnings play in the background. At the beach an ominous cloud with lightning draws to the coast as ice sickles sprout from the sand prompting everyone to flee. This freezing continues right up the the doors of the firehouse. Cut to Ecto 1 doing a hand brake turn, probably on a different day. Next we get variatable smorgasbord of scenses that almost flash by laying out the overall plot. There is a spirit who employs the “Death Chill” where they can literally scare people to death. These scenes take us to several new locations and at least one familiar to Ghostbusters fans, the New York Library. As with the overall look, I feel it is in keeping with the Ghostbusters aesthetic and feel.

We also get shown the cast of the film. Many of the favorites are reprising their roles. Obviously the original cast are coming back as well as the main cast from Afterlife. Furthermore, we will be seeing Janine Melnitz and Walter Peck return. The new additions are characters played by Patton Oswald, James Acaster, and Kumail Nanjiani. Their character names have not been revealed. Also possibly shown is a look at the film’s antagonist. There are some shots of a ghostly tall figure with blue eyes near the end of the trailer, but I am refering to blue devilish figure who is seen attaching one of his horns as the antagonist. I do not feel they are one and the same.

As a trailer, it introduces us to the cast and does not give away the plot while still hinting at a major mechanic of the story.

Now let’s look even closer.

***Possible Spoilers Ahead***

IMdB has this plot summary:
“The Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.”

With that in mind, what do I think of the trailer? I am hopeful, and as much as I am excited about the prospects of a new Ghostbusters, I have some reservations. Lets breakdown what actually is in this trailer.

The first 40 seconds are the build up to the plot drop and presumably the antigonist’s introduction as it makes landfall.

As the dark onimous clouds stake their claim over the city and as a procession of ice sickles strong enough to skewer a taxi make their way to Ghostbuster’s HQ, I am left wondering why would an entity need to scare people to death when it could impale everyone with ice. And another thing, who would not be scared of freezing to death? I am not sure they thought this out.

The Ecto 1 shot looks good with lights and siren blaring.

Next we see:
• Pheobe standing probably in the firehouse next to the pole possibly covered in frozen slime (we are pretty sure the slime blowers will be making a return);
James Acaster, Trevor, and Luck standing around;
• 2 Figures: 1 frozen mid-reach and the other standing in front of the reaching person. Some have speculated that it is a flashback since the decor looks reminiscent of a previous decade. Maybe, the shot is not well lit so it is hard to tell. Whatever happened, the reaching person might have been trying to stop the other from something as opposed to fleeing. We do not get to see the second person, but it might be Callie as she is in the next shot and the outline of her hair is similar;
Callie Spangler in the firehouse turning around;
• A door slowy freezing and then bursting as a dark cloud envelopes what appears to be an apartment;
• Pheobe and Podcast look pensivly at something as she asks “What is it?”
• In the same scene we see Kumail’s character and cut back to Phoebe and Podcast this time in a wider shot to show Ray standing next to them who explains it is the death chill, it is “the power to kill by fear itself”;
• We see some mist issue from a crack in the wall or maybe a door, and retract quickly;
• There is a shot of Gary;
• We see Winston and Peter suited up in the firehouse;
• A lion statue roars at someone, possibly Ray (I am basing this ID off of the jean jacket so don’t hold me to it);
• Probably the lead up the the final battle where the doors to the firehouse fly open and ice sickles sprout as the ground splits separating the floor of the firehouse in two and causing damage to the containment unit in the basement;
• Lucky standing in a dark room possibly a lab of some sort slightly reminiscent of the lab Egon had in Afterlife;
• A blue devil looking entity attaching both of its horns to its head;
• James shining a flashlight in the new Ghostbusters’ parka;
• Gary, Callie, and Pheobe pose while looking throuhg what might be a window, maybe from the second floor of the firehouse, all are suited up;
• Ray, Patton, Podcast, and Pheobe getting into an elevator and the look on Patton’s face… I don’t know what he is trying to emote, but it is just ridiculous. Is the elevator door really that heavy? I am assuming this scene is just before the one with Ray, Podcast, and Phoebe where Ray explains the death chill;
• Kumail and maybe Lucky entering a guilded room seemingly hidden behind the wall of a cupboard, possibly in the same apartment with the frozen door;
• Lucky gets frozen by the death chill;
• Callie and Gary standing around;
• Another scene with Patton and probably Phoebe, maybe in the library after the elevator;
• Trevor blasting a proton pack, but in normal clothing;
• Title drop
• A possible shadowy glimpse of the antagonist presumably after the floor of the firehouse had been split and the doors ripped off; and
• Trevor, Callie, Gary, and Pheobe standing on the roof maybe of the firehouse all suited up possibly during the final battle. Note they are wearing red parkas that the entire fandom seem to be loosing their minds over.

I hope it will be a good movie, but Peter played by Bill Murray in the only shot he is seen in looks – just done. I am not sure about the death by fear mechanic, it has potential but I have to see more trailer before I am sold. The addition of Oswald and Nanjiani have some questioning the quality of the production as they, or at least Oswald, are not held in high regard for their opinions or comedy. I personally do not know anything about them. That being said, some were not happy about the inclusion of the entire Afterlife cast including Gary played by Paul Rudd. It will be interesting to see how much a role each charater has seeing that we are being introduced to at least three new characters and possibly losing Lucky, the only black female protagonist [insert meme here “That’s a bold stategy Cotton…”].

The other big problem I have seen others have is how are they all in New York? Well it is summer after all and school is out. Not to mention Lucky has probably graduated and Trevor is probably close to graduating. Podcast is a little harder to explain, but I am sure it will be laid out in the movie as just a summer vacation.

As for the story and antagonists, it is too early to make predictions, but I feel the trailer only showed us scenes from maybe the second act low point where our protagonists are losing before they rally to victory.